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A priest leaves the scene as Buffalo firefighters prepare to remove bodies from a building after a fire in Buffalo, N.Y., Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. The first floor of a burning convenience store collapsed into the basement early Monday morning, killing two firefighters. (AP Photo/ David Duprey)

LACK OF RUNS FOR PHILS Biggio notches game-winning single for Astros

A priest leaves the scene as Buffalo firefighters prepare to remove bodies from a building after a fire in Buffalo, N.Y., Monday, Aug. 24, 2009. The first floor of a burning convenience store collapsed into the basement early Monday morning, killing two firefighters. (AP Photo/ David Duprey)

PHILADELPHIA -- The Phillies could count the number of runs they've scored in each of their last seven games on one hand. If they keep that streak going they won't be able to count their division deficit on one hand much longer.

A Craig Biggio two-out RBI single in the top of the 11th scored the deciding run in the Phils' 2-1 loss to the Astros last night at Veterans Stadium. But blown opportunities was real deciding factor as the Phils lost for the sixth time in their last seven games.

The Phillies and Braves play seven times in the final three weeks of the season in what should decide the fate of the National League East pennant race.

Considering the way both teams have been performing at the plate lately, expect a hockey game to break out - on the scoreboard - during those pivotal games. The Braves managed a whopping three runs in a win over the Padres that extended their lead over the Phils to two games.

Rumors that the N.L. East will be renamed the Norris Division are unfounded - we think.

"We just didn't get a run when we needed it," said manager Larry Bowa, who is longing for the team that scored 51 runs while winning seven of eight games prior to this skid. "If I had the remedy for it I would be a genius."

Both the Phils and Braves have had long stretches of offensive ineptitude this season, and the Phils had a classic case of the scoring blues last night in front of Bernie Pare-, uh, Brandon Duckworth.

Against the National League's second-highest scoring team last night Duckworth allowed a leadoff double to Craig Biggio ... and, well, that was about it. As if he knew he was in for a low-scoring battle before the game started, Astros manager Larry Dierker had Jose Vizcaino bunt Biggio to third, which allowed him to score on Jeff Bagwell's routine grounder.

After an 89-minute rain delay at the end of the first inning Duckworth warmed up for a second time, then proceeded to ice the Astros. The only baserunners the right-hander allowed over the next six innings were a one-out walk to Richard Hidalgo in the fourth and a leadoff walk of Bagwell in the seven that was wiped out when Marlon Anderson made a leaping stab of a Moises Alou line drive and turned it into an inning-ending double play.

"He threw incredible," Bowa said. "But we came up empty."

While Duckworth had the Astros locked down after the first inning, the Phillies had opportunities galore against rookie Carlos Hernandez and wasted them all. In all, 15 runners were stranded

Let us count the chances:N In the second inning Hunter slapped a one-out single to left and Crespo drew a two-out walk before Todd Pratt ended the inning with a strikeout. (This won't be Pratt's last mention.)

In the fifth Glanville led off with a single and Duckworth delivered a two-out single. Jimmy Rollins, however, didn't deliver when he swung wildly at strike three to end the inning.

In the sixth Anderson led off with a double to left. Scott Rolen failed to advance the runner when he took a mighty - and mighty futile - hack at a high fastball for strike three. Bobby Abreu walked, but Hunter went down looking before Glanville ended the inning by flying out to deep center.

In the seventh Crespo led off with a double, then moved to third on a wild pitch by Houston reliever Octavio Dotel. But Pratt - again - went down on strikes. Pinch-hitter Travis Lee walked, but Rollins tapped out to the mound on a ball that appeared to glance off his foot for the second out and Anderson struck out to end that threat.

Finally, in the bottom of the eighth the Phils cashed in to tie the game against Mike Williams. Abreu set the table with a one-out triple off the center-field wall. After Hunter walked, Glanville singled to center to bring in Abreu.

Of course, the go-ahead run languished in scoring position when Crespo struck out and Pratt tapped out to short.

The Phils had a couple of more chances in the ninth and 10th innings, but Rolen lined out to center with Pat Burrell on third with two outs in the ninth and Crespo and Pratt (yes, again) couldn't score Hunter from second after he and Glanville had back-to-back one-out singles in the 10th.

"I think we were 3-for-36 or something with runners in scoring position this series," Bowa said. "You aren't going to win a series like that."

Glanville was back in the lineup last night after leaving Wednesday night's 2-1 win in the fourth inning after he fouled off a ball that bounced off the ground and caught him in a place that apparently cannot be mentioned.

This unmentionable place is usually protected with a device known as a cup, something Glanville hasn't sported since his collegiate days at Penn. Shockingly, the harrowing experience didn't convince Glanville to hearken back to his college years.

"Kids, don't try this at home," Glanville said jokingly prior to last night's game. "Apparently there were people who didn't know what happened. I had fans come up to me (yesterday) and say, 'How's your toe?' I said, 'Oh, my toe's fine.'

"Hey, I didn't lie."

All 10 of his toes are fine, as are the unmentionables. In fact, Glanville said the reason he was doubled over wasn't so much from pain, but from the lightheadedness and nauseous feeling that followed.

"I was fighting consciousness," Glanville said. "It took all the oxygen out of me and I was in a fog. But I feel good today."